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Tanya Smith
Real Names: Tanya Selina Smith and Misty Cockerill Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: Abbotsford, British Columbia Date: October 14, 1995 Case Details: On October 13, 1995, sixteen-year-old Tanya Smith and her friend, fifteen-year-old Misty Cockerill attended a party in Abbotsford, British Columbia. At around midnight, they began walking home when they were attacked by an unknown assailant. The man beat both girls with a baseball bat, and then raped them. The man then dumped Tanya's unconscious body into the Vedder River where she drowned. Misty escaped and went to a hospital to seek treatment for her injuries. She then told police what happened to her and her friend. Tanya's body was found later that day. Following the murder, a man believed to be the killer taunted various residents of Abbotsford, bragging about the murder and claiming that he would kill again. The man also desecrated Tanya's grave. He remains unidentified. Suspects: The killer is 6'0", has a slim build, and is probably in his mid-thirties. After the murder, an unknown man believed to be the killer began harassing several people throughout the town. He made several phone calls to 911 operators, claiming that he will kill again. He also reportedly desecrated Tanya's grave several times. On February 17, 1996, he called the only radio station in Abbotsford and told the producers to look outside. In the parking lot, Tanya's headstone was found lying on top of the station's news cruiser. Threats and profanities written in pen had been scrawled across a picture of Tanya which was engraved on the headstone. Two days later, a note taped around a wrench was thrown through the window of a family unconnected with the case. The note mentioned three other assaults for which the killer sought credit. A fingerprint was found on the duct tape that was used to tape the note to the wrench. However, no matches were found. Along with a composite sketch (shown above), police have one other clue to the killer's identity: his voice. It was recorded when he made phone calls to 911. In one of the calls, he stated: "Do you think that I would be stupid enough to leave fingerprints behind when I make a phone call? Are you having trouble finding the killer? I'm the one, giving you the chance to try and find me. I'll be cruising around, looking for someone else. Just to let you know who I am." Investigators hope that someone will recognize his voice. Extra Notes: The case was featured as a Special Bulletin on the April 12, 1996 episode. Results: Solved. In May of 1996, thirty-one-year-old Terry Driver was arrested and charged with Tanya's rape and murder and the attempted murder of Misty. Driver's mother and brother recognized his voice as the killer's and turned him in to police. His fingerprint matched the one found on duct tape attached to a note from the killer. DNA evidence also linked him to the murder. Furthermore, in his phone calls, he repeatedly referred to a bite mark on Tanya's body; this information was never released to the public. Misty testified against him at his trial. Driver claimed that he found the girls after they were attacked. He further claimed that he raped Tanya, dumped her body in the river, and then took Misty to the hospital. The judge didn't believe this; Driver was convicted of first degree murder and attempted murder. The judge declared him a "dangerous offender" and gave him a mandatory life sentence. Driver was later convicted of two other assaults that were mentioned in the note attached to the wrench. While in jail, he allegedly told a psychologist that he killed three other women. Investigators looked at him as a suspect in three other unsolved murders: prostitute Linda Tatrai; Colleen Shook, who was killed after exiting a bus; and Kim Stolberg, who was killed at her father's workplace. All three women were stabbed to death in 1989. Attached to the wrench note were clippings from the Vancouver Sun about the three murders. However, police stated that they later ruled him out as a suspect in Kim's murder. Misty Cockerill is now an advocate of victim's rights and is devoted to helping others who were in similar situations as she was. She now has a daughter whom she named in memory of her friend. Links: * Terry Driver on Wikipedia * Terry Driver on Murderpedia * Abby teen killer says he'll strike again * Canadian Killer Taunts Police, Threatens to Strike Again * Convicted Abbotsford killer suspected in 3 more murders * "Abbotsford killer" declared a dangerous offender * Family of killer to receive reward * Victim's family upset at return of killer * Woman who survived 'Abbotsford Killer' devoted to helping others * Killer's wife to tell her story for first time in TV series * The Killer Who Couldn't Shut Up * Tanya Smith at Find a Grave ---- Category:British Columbia Category:1995 Category:Murder Category:Attempted Murder Category:Rape Category:Harassment Category:Solved